


Ash seeketh embers

by ladyelfriede



Category: Dark Souls (Video Games), Dark Souls III
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 14:29:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9661355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyelfriede/pseuds/ladyelfriede
Summary: The Fire Keeper contemplates her feelings towards the Ashen One. A story of a maiden and her Champion, their betrayal and the love that blossomed from it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is without a doubt my favourite ending in the game, so I just had to write a little story on it and how it'd influence the relationship between the Fire Keeper and the protagonist ;-; Feedback is always appreciated as I'm a new writer and English isn't my native language!

‘Sinful’, that was the only word the Fire Keeper could think of that described the relationship she had willingly entered with the Unkindled one, the champion, her Ashen One. The Fire Keeper had always been bound to the flame, it was her sole purpose in life and once she had completed her task, she would be put to a long rest. She was no fool, and knew exactly that with the rekindling of the first flame she would no longer be necessary. She had accepted it; such was her duty, as a maiden of the shrine and keeper of the flame. She had never resisted the invisible chains that bound her to her duty, yet whenever she thought of her fate she could almost feel the invisible iron cutting into her flesh. She was aware she could only blame herself, but whenever she thought of the future as it was meant to happen, her mind went blank and her blood ran cold. The Ashen One, to be reduced to nothing more but a charred corpse as she completed her task, and her, the Fire Keeper, to be put to death.

She remembered how she had first met the Ashen One. She had been a warrior like many, yet her optimism and kindness had surprised the Fire Keeper. The gentle, soothing voice of the champion had made her feel comfortable around her from the start as she channelled the souls into the Ashen One’s strength. Their relationship was one of allies, loyalty and friendship apparent, as the Ashen One would often take time to speak to the Fire Keeper about her travels. The Fire Keeper noticed soon that this gentle, soft-spoken persona seemed to be reserved for merely her and the other inhabitants of the shrine. Visitors that had met the Ashen One spoke of a brash maiden who had to be more stubborn than an ox and often rushed into the heat of battle without proper strategy. The Fire Keeper had addressed the comparison to her champion, whom had merely laughed in reply. They had sat together for the rest of the evening, the Fire Keeper drowsy as she leant her head on her friend’s shoulder, an odd feeling in her stomach that she could not quite place.

A fire keeper was there to look after the champions of ash, and it was absolutely forbidden to pick favourites. Yet, the Fire Keeper heard the whispers around her, most of them coming from the maiden of Londor, Yuria. She had arrived at the shrine shortly after Yoel had perished and had been very insistent for the Ashen One to ‘marry’ Anri of Astora. Whenever she heard Yuria mention it or speak of preparations, an ill feeling befell her. Was it envy? Could she truly be jealous of the man who would soon be wed to her champion? She told herself not to get fooled by emotions of love; women like the Ashen One married strong warriors, they didn’t dally around with fire keepers. The dreadful feeling would not go away however and she left for the tower to cry, refusing to let anyone see her in this pitiful state. 

She had refused. The Fire Keeper could not believe her own ears as she heard the Ashen One speak of her intentions to Yuria of Londor. The Unkindled One had found out what Yuria truly meant with a wedding; Anri, her friend’s corpse, placed upon a stone tablet against his will. Yuria had attacked her in a blind rage, but proved no match for the Ashen One in the end. She had been upset and bewildered, and thus the Fire Keeper had offered to bring the Ashen One to the tower. They had sat on its roof for several hours, mostly in silence. The companionship seemed to be enough for the Ashen One. She had then put her head on the Fire Keeper’s shoulder, as they often would, the younger woman’s fingers gently combing through the hair of the weary warrior.

Rumors in the shrine only intensified after the Ashen One returned with a rather remarkable item. She had brought her a Fire Keeper’s eyes and the Fire Keeper, to her own judgement, had foolishly accepted the gift. The young maiden had regretted it almost immediately, asking the Ashen One to kill her and take the eyes away from her. The Ashen One refused, speaking of freedom and wanting the Fire Keeper to be able to make her own choices. It had loosened something in the Fire Keeper, a warm feeling spreading throughout her as the Ashen One took her in an embrace, ever so gently. She had returned the gesture, a soft giggle escaping her as she was finally able to look upon her champion. The Fire Keeper could not deny she was pleased with what she saw; long ashen hair tied together in a braid, dark, almost black eyes a stark contrast to the pale, cold skin, a sharp jawline and small lips, yet slightly plump. Small scars were visible on her forehead and cheeks, the Fire Keeper’s fingers caressing them softly as she saw her champion for the first time. The Ashen One had kissed her hand then, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. She had returned from later travels with flowers and small trinkets, all meant as gifts. The Fire Keeper had spoken about the matter with Andre, who had laughed warmly and claimed that yes, the Ashen One indeed seemed to have the intention to court her. The Ashen One had not returned to the shrine that evening, which had left the Fire Keeper alone with her thoughts. Back when she lived with the other Fire Keepers, as a young girl, she remembered the other maidens gossiping and giggling about the handsome men that visited the shrine. She had no interest in the matter, as it was forbidden for a Fire Keeper to engage into a relationship with any man. The Ashen One was no man, but the Fire Keeper could not deny that her feelings and thought rivalled those of the other women she had lived with back then. She felt the chains pull at her once more and decided that if she were to die after all this, she might as well allow the feelings as long as they did not interfere with her duty. 

They had left for the tower as they often would, once again looking over the valley of Lothric as they sat in silence, shoulders touching. “May I kiss you?”, the Ashen One had asked her. Her lips had found the Ashen One’s clumsily, but it had only made the young woman laugh. It continued onwards like this for a while, stolen glances, holding hands while resting on the stone benches, short but loving kisses away from prying eyes; until the Ashen One had come to her with a proposal that shook her to her core. She would choose to betray the Gods and to quench the final flame. The Fire Keeper was confused, slightly terrified in what this would mean for her, for them. Her Ashen One told her that if she had no desire to betray her masters, she would fully respect that decision. But how could the Fire Keeper say no? She desired to tend to the Ashen One, and if the Ashen One chose this path, she would follow. She had asked what would become of the two of them, to which the Ashen One shrugged and figured it couldn’t be so bad as the both of them perishing. She had agreed to the plan, the Ashen One embracing her as a reaction. She had not been wearing her armor at that moment, which left them with the first time of their bodies actually touching. The Ashen One’s skin was cold to the touch, where as the Ashen One complimented the Fire Keeper softly on the warmth she herself was radiating. And so it was that ash seeketh embers.

They started sharing a bed relatively soon after that. The Ashen One would join her in her somewhat small bed, but the Fire Keeper found her presence soothing. She felt warm and safe in the warrior’s arms and appreciated her respect for privacy. The night before the end of their journey was not any different, but the tension was thick enough to cut the air. The Ashen One trembled against her, her head placed on the Fire Keeper’s shoulder as they both looked up at the ceiling, neither speaking a word. The Fire Keeper could sense the Ashen One’s fear, taking the young woman’s hand into her own in an attempt to calm her nerves. There was no need to speak of the plan once again; they had done so often enough. She would be a fire keeper no longer, her Ashen One a traitor to the flame she had served her entire life. As the Ashen One’s breathing finally slowed and her eyelids fell shut, the Fire Keeper placed a gentle kiss on the top of the woman’s head. This might be horrid, it was utterly sinful, but nothing had ever felt so right. 

The flame of life in her hands was smaller than she had expected, but she could still sense the enormous amount of power it had once held. That power was now quickly fading as the world around her turned to darkness. The Ashen One was standing behind her, daring not to speak or interfere as the Fire Keeper performed her final duty. The Fire Keeper was afraid, not knowing what would happen to her once the flame would extinguish. The Ashen One’s presence assured her that whatever lay in store for her, no harm would ever come to her. The flame finally died, and there was nothing but an empty void. She spoke softly then.

“Ashen One, hearest thou my voice, still?"

A smile graced her lips as she felt two strong, armored arms wrap themselves around her shoulders, the Ashen One’s breath warm against her neck in the ever growing cold. She had no idea what would cross on their paths next, but they were together. And for now, that would be enough.


End file.
